Jim Lea: Last News

Noddy Holder, the frontman of Slade, has revealed the "real" inspiration behind the band's iconic Christmas number one, Merry Xmas Everybody.

Noddy Holder has revealed the real inspiration behind Slade’s festive 1973 hit ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’.The song is arguably one of Slade’s biggest hits, becoming so famous that strangers regularly shout the iconic “IT’S CHRISTMAAAAAAS!” line back to Holder in the street. It still generates £500,000 in royalties every year, 50 years on from its release.However, Holder has now revealed he and bandmate Jim Lea were never intending to write a Christmas song, explaining that its first iteration was conceived in the band’s “hippy dippy psychedelic days” in 1967, when it was called ‘Buy Me A Rocking Chair’, and was later discarded.Their label later pushed them to release a Christmas song, prompting them to revive the track and use its melody for ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’.

Slade frontman Noddy Holder has confirmed the "real" inspiration behind the band's iconic Christmas number one, Merry Xmas Everybody.

Slade guitarist Dave Hill has said there is no "look to the future now" for the iconic rock band as he revealed he doesn't keep in touch with most of his former bandmates despite their success with Christmas hit song Merry Xmas Everybody.

heavy metal Slade are virtually guaranteed never to get back together.Sadly for fans, even the potential lure of a lucrative reunion tour would be unlikely to do it, admits Noddy.“I doubt it’ll happen again with the band.